As a celebration of women, Auverture will launch its fourth bracelet in the Auverture United series, with the debut of the Amethyst Violet for International Women’s day 2021.This latest edition is created in collaboration with British designer Alice Cicolini, renowned for her jewellery’s uplifting use of vibrant colour.
Auverture United is donating 100% of the sale price (minus VAT) from each Amethyst Violet sold, which is released exclusively on Auverture.com for International Women’s Day, March 8th, to Smart Works. This charity provides interview training and clothing to unemployed women in need to give them the skills and confidence needed to enter or re-enter the workforce.
Smart Works describes its mission as “harnessing the power of clothing and coaching to allow a woman to be her best at a crucial moment in her life, giving her the confidence, self-belief, and practical tools required to succeed at interview and transform her life.”
Smart Works’ clients, who can be referred from job centres, work programmes, prisons, and mental health charities, are styled by the charity’s trained volunteers in an interview outfit, which they then keep. The clients then receive one-to-one interview coaching. 65% of Smart Works’ clients go on to get the job within a month of their appointment.
Auverture founder and Creative Director, Bibi Van Der Velden – instilled the belief through the business that “there is no limit to what women can accomplish as long as we are given equal opportunity to do so.
“The ongoing events of 2020 and 2021 means now more than ever women of the world need equal opportunity and as much support as possible to find their rightful position within the workforce”.
Fittingly for the Smart Works partnership, the Auverture United x Alice Cicolini bracelet shares its purple hue with one of the colours of International Women’s Day, with the shade signifying “justice and dignity.”
The purple-toned amethyst is the focal stone in this limited-edition bracelet. The rose-cut jewel – which creates a beautiful, kaleidoscopic effect when looking through it – sits in a 14k, recycled yellow gold disc which is coloured with iridescent lilac enamel inspired by the guilloché engraving technique which has been cast into the gold. The glistening disc sits on a lilac bracelet crafted from 100% recycled cotton.
<span>Amethyst is believed to offer the wearer protection, and as a symbol of the crown chakra, which signifies consciousness, the stone «seemed a perfect choice for this moment,” says Alice Cicolini. </spa
The pattern cast into the gold disc depicts the thousand-petalled lotus flower, which symbolises this blossoming consciousness.
“I think… this is something that we can all hold onto in the idea that this pandemic asks us to consider our connection to the world and to others,” says Alice, nodding to the bracelet’s purpose.
Auverture’s founder and Creative Director Bibi van der Velden invited Alice to propose a bracelet design in support of the AU initiative. Bibi connected immediately with Alice’s proposal for the design, as for her, the bracelet’s lotus flower motif evokes “India and lots of the travelling that I’ve done in the country.”
<span>Alice’s interest in exploring a modern interpretation of guilloché was inspired by some family heirloom pieces that used the technique, something that excited Bibi as the enamel recalls “old-fashioned Victorian glass enamel that has very much a nostalgic feel for me.”</spa
Bibi added, “It has this kind of contemporary look, but at the same time [a sense of] craftsmanship… My grandmother had a collection of boxes which were enamelled in that way, so I love that look.”
The bracelet, priced £687, will be sold exclusively at Auverture.com from March 8th in
a limited edition of 50 pieces. For each bracelet sold, the full RRP (minus VAT) will go to Smart Works.
‘This collaboration plays perfectly to our love of thoughtful fashion as a tool for changing lives. Every person that buys one of these bracelets will be helping us to raise vital funds at a time when our service is needed more than ever. Thank you to Alice and Auverture for allowing us to reach more women, and reconnect them with the confidence they need to transform their lives.” Kate Stephens, CEO, Smart Works
Since its inception in 2013, Smart Works has supported over 18,000 women, empowering them with the practical tools and confidence to get the job and transform their lives.
Smart Works Charity is a registered UK charity (registration number 1080609).
